Have you ever tried any of these "hacks" and regretted it? Someone asked frugal people on Reddit to name "money-saving" tricks that can actually cost you more...
1. Driving to the cheaper gas station across town. Unless it's a lot cheaper, you don't have to drive far before it's not worth it anymore. (Here's a calculator that also factors in what you think your time is worth.)
2. D.I.Y. repairs unless you know what you're doing. Especially with big projects, like renovating a bathroom.
3. Trying to make something for cheaper than you can buy it. It's hard to do now that everything's mass produced.
4. Buying stuff just because it's on sale. If it's something you'd need next week or next month, great. Just don't do it with stuff you MIGHT need.
5. Meal kit services like Hello Fresh. You think you'll order less take-out, but a lot of people still don't cook and just waste half the food. If you want to cook to save money, find some recipes and go to the store.
6. Buying the cheapest option. Sometimes it's fine. But with stuff like shoes and clothes, quality tends to last longer.
7. Growing your own food. Having a garden is great, but it's easy to end up spending more than you would just buying organic. Same applies for raising chickens to save on eggs.
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